Foot rest



R. N. KING June 29 1926.

FOOTREST Filed August 29, 1925.

Patented June 29, 1926.

ROBEART N. KING, OF EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO.

FOOT REST.

Application filed August 29, 1925. Serial No. 53,253.

The present invention relates to a foot rest of a type which is adapted to be used in automobiles or similar places and has for its object to provide ay device of this character which embodies novel features of construction so that it can be moved down and locked in an out of the way position when it is not in use, thereby leaving the floor of the automobile or other vehicle perfectly smooth and free from all projections.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a folding or disappearing foot rest which is simple and inexpensive in its construction, which can be readily applied to the ioor of an automobile or like vehicle,

'which can be quickly moved into either a raised position or a loweredV position and which when in operative position will give support for the entire bottom of the foot and be far more comfortable than the usual rail or rod which is used for a foot rest.

While one particular embodiment of the invention is shown and described for illustrative purposes, it will be obvious that many modifications and changes can be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a foot rest which is constructed in accordance with the invention, the foot rest plate being shown ina lowered position. Y

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the device, the foot rest plate being shown in a lowered position.

Figure 3 is an edge view of the foot rest plate, viewing the same from the swinging edge thereof.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through the foot rest with the foot rest plate shown ina raised position, and f Figure 5 is an end view of the foot rest v plate.

' Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated on'all of the views of the drawings by like reference characters. j l

AReferring to the f drawings, the reference character 1 designates a fiat frame which is adapted to be let into the floor of an automobile or the like so that it is flush theref with. The frame has an opening therein within which a foot rest plate 2 is mounted,

said plate being adapted either to be swung upwardly into an angular position or swung downwardly into a position substantially flush with the frame 1 and floor. The foot rest plate is hingedly connected to one side of the frame 1 along one of its longitudinal edges, as indicated at 3.

The ends of the opening in the frame 1 and the side of the opening which is opposite to the hinge 3 are rabbeted or formed to provide a seat 4 upon which a strip 5 of some brous or sound deadening material is placed for the purpose of providing a tight joint and preventing a metal to metal contact when the foot rest plate is swung downwardly. The edges of the footy rest plate then rest upon the packing strip 5 and n ot only is a substantially air tight joint provided but there is no noise or rattle such as might be present if a metal to metal contact were permitted.

The side of the opening inthe frame 1 which is opposite the hinge 3 is formed with a downwardly projecting flange 6 which has longitudinal slotsv 7 in opposite end portions thereof to receive the laterally projecting ends 8a of a latch bar 8 which is slidably mounted upon the frame 1. This latch bar 8 is slidably mounted under one side of the frame, being reta-ined in proper position by the keepers 9, and the end portions of the latch bar are olf-set downwardly so that the lateral ends 8a can project throughl the slots 7. The middle portion of the latch bar is provided with a finger piece 10 which projects upwardly through a slot 11 formed in the side of the frame 1, said linger piece providing a means for moving the latch bar into inoperative position when it is desired to change the position of the foot rest plate. A spring 12 is connected to one end of the latch bar and normally tends to slide the latch bar into operative position.

The swinging edge of the foot rest plate 2 is provided with a depending curved side wall 13 having a lip 14 at the free edge thereof which cooperates with the lower end of the iange 6 to limit the upward'movement of the foot rest plate. In order to prevent a metal to metal contact a strip 15 of fibrous material or packingrnay; be applied to the top of the lip 14 for engagement with the flange of the main frame.

The depending side wall 13 of the foot rest plate is provided at opposite end por-V tions thereof with vertically ldisposed slots 16 v-.fhich` are adapted to receive the laterali ends 8LL- of' the latch bar when the foot rest plate is moved from a raised position to a lowered position or vice versa. and lower ends of the vertical slots 16 are provided with the lateral notch portions", 16? into which the lateral ends 8a of the latch bar are movable to loc-lr the foot rest plate in either a raised position or a lowered position. The notches 16at are preferably tapered toward the endsith-ereoir so that they Wil-l have a wedge engagement with the lateral ends 82 oi the latch bar and avoid any looseness which might result in an objectionableratt-le when the automobile is in motion.

The end-'s of the foot restl plate are provided with segmental end walls 17 which are connected to the ends of the sid-e wall 13. rEhese end' walls 17 are provided at their lower edgeswith, lips 1S; which may have packing strips 1.9A applied thereto for engagement with the corresponding ends of the frame l to assist in limiting the upward movement outn the foot rest plate and form a tight joint with the frame- 1 when the foot rest plater is swung upward-ly into operative position.

VV'hen the foot rest is not in use the plate 2. is swung downwardlj7 so that it is flush with the top oi" the ira-me 1 and surface ot the floor of the automobile. The packing strips 5' then tightly engage the edges oi the Vfoot rest plate to form a tight joint so that there will. be no objectionable entrance of col'd'V air into the automobile through the device. If a carpet is applied to the 'Hoor ofl the auto-mobile it is provided with slits in the port-ions thereof; which are over the ends and swinging edge of the 'footrest plate andthe tootV rest plate is practical/ly invisible when it is in a lowered position. rPhe door of the rautomobile is, then free from all projections and this may be very convenient when carrying trunks or the like.

If'n orderA to raise the toot rest plate the fin 'er piece orl handle 10 is manipulated' to.

sli e the latch bar S int-o inoperative posi-- tion.l llhe foot rest; will thenV be swung upwardly bysprings 20 at the endsl thereof,V and as soon asV it reaches the upper-limit of its movement the latch bar will be returned to its original position by the spring 12 and the laterally projecting endsV 8a thereof caused to enter "the lower notches 16a' of the verticali slot T6, thereby lock-ing the toot rest pla-te; in. a raisedposition. rFhe packing stripsl 15 and 19Y then enga-ge portions oithe frame 1 to provide tight joints-'at the side and ends of the foot rest; plate so that the entrance into the car of large quantities of airv through they toot rest device is prevented. The' use of the packing strips alsol tends to.` prevent objectionable rattling of the parts when the' automobile orA similar vehicle is in motion. The tootA rest platie has a suiiicient width to pro-vide a support for the entire bottom of the foot and this will be found to be more comfortable than the usual bar which is ordinarily provided for that purpose at the present time.

Having thus described my invention what I cla-im Vas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1i. A foot rest comprising a :dat frame adapted to be app-lied to theloor of a vehicle or the like and having opening therein, a toot rest plate l'iingedly connected to one of the edges of the frame adjacent the opening andV adapted to be either swung upfwardly int-oa-n angular position or swung dnwnwardliy into the opening, d'epe-ndi-ngln walls projecting from the @dige and endso-r the foot rest plate to close the spa-ce between the plate andi the irame when the plate is raisedg' av latch bar 'mounted upon theframe and engaging one or? the depending wallsof the toot rest plate to loclr the latter in either a raised position or a lowered position.

2. A foot rest` compfish-igv a fra-meadfapted to be applied to the floor of a vehicle or the like` andhav-ing an opening therein7 a footV rest plate h-ingedly` connected to one of the edge-sf of the frame adjacenty the opening and adapted to be eitherswung upwardly into an angular position orsvvung downwardly intoy thel opening, a depending wall carried by the foot rest plate and hava slot there-in with notches in communiV cation therewith, and' a. locking bolt mounted. upon the frame and having a portion pro jecti'ng into the slot o-ii' the depending wall and adapted to engage selected notches to lock the foot rest platein position.

3. A foot rest comprising a frame adapted.v to be applied to the floor ot a vehicle or the like andi having anr opening therein., one side otthe 'trame being formed with. a slot, a foot rest platel hingedly connected. to an edgeof,v the frame adjacent the3 opening and adapted to be either swung up.-v wardly ,into an angular position or swung downwardly into. the opening, a dependingwal'l: carried by the foot restplate, .ae latch bar slidably mounted undl-rr the mainf frame at one side thereof and? having, portions adapted to engage the sai'df d'epemiingv wall to lock the toot rest plate in. an justed position, and a linger piececarried by the latch bar and projecting througfnx the beforementibned slot in. one; side of the main frame whereby the latch bar can be readily moved into and' out of-operativel position.

4. A foot rest comprisingl a flat frame adapted' to'be applied: tothe floor of a vehicle-fior the? like and having' anopening therein, al toot rest plate hi'n-gedly con* nectedv to one, oi-VV the edges of the frame adjacent the openingV andv adapted either to he swung upwardly into an inclined position or downwardly into the opening, a flange projecting downwardly from the edge of the opening remote from the said hinge connection and having an opening therein, a latch har slidaloly mounted upon the main frame and having `a lateral end projecting through the opening of the flange, and a depending wall carried by the foot rest plate, said wall having notched portions adapted to engage the lateral end of the latch bar to lock the foot rest plate in an adjusted position.

5. A. foot rest comprising a flat frame adapted to loe applied to the floor of a vehicle or the like and having an opening the-rein, a foot rest plate hingedly connected to one of the edges of the frame adjacent the opening and adapted to he either swung upwardly into an inclined position or swung downwardly into the opening, a flange projecting downwardly from the edge of the opening which is remote from the said hinge connection, said flange having an opening therein, a depending wall carried by the swinging edge of the foot plate, a latch bar slidably mounted upon the main frame and having a lateral portion which projects through the opening in the flange, the depending wall of the foot rest plate having notched portions adapted to engage the said lateral end of the latch bar to lock the foot rest plate in an adjusted position, and a lip carried by the depending wall for cooperation with the flange to limit the upward movement of the Ifoot rest plate.

6. A foot rest comprising a flat frame adapted to loe applied to the floor of a vehicle or the like and having an opening therein, a foot rest plate hingedly connected to an edge of the frame adjacent the opening and adapted either to be swung upwardly into an inclined position or d0wn wardly into the opening, a depending flange projecting from the edge of the opening remote to the said hinge connection, a depending side wall carried by the swinging end of the foot rest plate, segmental end walls at the ends of the plate, lips at the lower edges of the sidewall and end walls to limit the upward movement of the foot rest plate and form a tight joint with the frame, and means for locking the foot rest plate in either a raised position or a lowered position.

7. A foot rest comprising a fiat frame adapted to be applied to the floor of a vehicle or the like, and having an opening therein, a foot rest plate hingedly connected to an edge of the frame adjacent the opening and adapted either to be swung upwardly into an angular position or swung downwardly into the opening, a flange projecting downwardly from the edge of the opening which is opposite said hinge connection, said flange having an opening therein, a latch bar slidaloly mounted upon the frame and formed with a lateral end which projects through the opening of the flange, a depending side wall carried by the swinging end of the oot rest plate and having notched portions therein adapted to be engaged by the lateral end of the latch bar to lock the Jfoot rest plate in an adjusted position, segmental end walls extending downwardly from the ends of the foot rest plate, and lateral lips at the lower edges of the depending side wall and end walls for cooperation with the flange and frame to limit the upward movement of the :toot rest plate and provide a close joint with the frame when the foot rest plate is raised.

In testimony whereof I affix my signa ture.

ROBERT N. KING. 

